Far From Heroes
by emptyonideas
Summary: If Elenna had known what adventure would bring...would she have still chosen it? Kili/OC
1. Chapter 1

I simply could not help myself.

**WARNING: Spoilers**. This will be based off the later end of the book, which hasn't been in the movie yet. I'll try to make it mostly my story, but there will be events from the book, so tread carefully if you want to be surprised by the movie.

Let me know if I should continue, what you like, how your lunch was, anything you'd like!

P.S. I'm terrified of writing in this fandom. LOTR is my favorite...everything, but to write in it I really had to just take my own approach, so please ignore all inaccuracies and enjoy this story as a little fic for fun rather than epic-ness.

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**"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again."**

**-C.S. Lewis**

* * *

Elenna was ten when she started to be teased for still believing in dragons. Eleven when her friends stopped listening to her stories about what the earthquakes really were. And twelve when a particularly nasty fight with the town's boys had her sister grab her, shake her, and tell her to grow up and stop believing bedtime stories.

She had fled to her room, unfortunately one that she shared with said sister, but it was the only place in the house without adults and she didn't want to be asked about the streaks on her face and bruises on her hands. It was cold without a fire but she buried herself in her mother's quilt and silently cried until a voice came through the crack of her door.

"Elenna?"

Her grandpa's voice was the most familiar one to her in the whole world. He put them to sleep every night as long as she could remember, but she found no comfort in it now, nor in the sink of the bed that accompanied it. She flinched as his hand touched her shoulder and emerged just long enough to see him cover the sad look on his face, which filled her with silent guilt.

"Your sister told me what happened."

For years she'd watched the lines of his face grown heavier, like a pencil was etching them in, but it was even worse when he looked tired.

She didn't answer him, but kept her eyes down.

"You're never too old to believe in anything, Elenna. If you believe it in your heart, who is anyone to tell you otherwise?"

"If it is not true I don't want to believe it," she cried, "I want to know the truth."

"It is the truth," her grandfather said, giving her a small smile. "Men...have a way of forgetting things, whether they do it out of ignorance or will to ease pain. But there are those of us who have not forgotten, and if smart girls like you continue to believe, than no ever will."

"But why would people forget something so terrible?"

"To convince themselves it doesn't exist?" he ventured, scratching his bearded chin. "It was a bad time for all. The dwarves lost everything, and there was fear here for quite some time." He sighed. "But time passed. And now I suspect they forget because they haven't seen it with their own eyes. To imagine something in one's head without seeing it is a great gift, Lenna dear, and one you should not let other's take from you."

"I always dream of them," she confessed, "Terrible fire that makes my skin crawl with heat. Huge wings. And mounds of treasure." She blushed, feeling the embarrassment from earlier flush her cheeks. "But just dreams."

"Grandfathers don't have favorites Elenna," he told her, scooping her into a sitting position. She had always been small for her age and still fit on his lap. "But you are my dreamer. And you can think and do whatever you please, but remember you are your own person, and someone that doesn't accept you for that is not worth your tears."

"Thank you Grandfather," she whispered, kissing his cheek.

"And remember," he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "Your old grandfather has some fight in him yet, if any of those boys should be knocking you down again!"

* * *

Years passed and the boys stopped teasing her, and her sister stopped chiding her and instead turned to her brother, and dragons were no longer a large part of her concern.

Sometimes, just for memory's sake, she would sit outside her younger brother's bedroom and listen to her grandfather tell him tales. He was the best storyteller she'd ever heard, and his words could still make her breath shudder, no matter how long it had been. On nights she listened in, she had dreams, from time to time, of terrible scorching fire and burning houses, but she always blinked them away in the morning.

Somewhat sadly she one day realized these stories would never be her own. Her days were filled with routine and work, and the only adventures she got were in snippets of stories and pages of books.

She planned to read one now, as she carried logs inside her family's home. Her best friend had traded and gotten her a book she'd never read before, and her fingers had been itching in anticipation all day to crack it open. She rushed through all her tasks until her mother had yelled at her to slow down and do them properly.

Now she was on her last chore, and just about to set down the last log when her brother Collin burst through their door.

"Collin!" her mother had on her chiding voice, but it stopped short when she saw her youngest child's face glow with excitement.

"Dwarves!" he yelled.

Elenna straightened to look at him better, wondering what he was talking about. She chanced a look at Rose to gauge her sister's usually skeptical reaction to things. To her lack of surprise, Rose's face was scrunched into a squint, her mouth a thin line.

"What about dwarves?" Rose asked, squinting her eyes at him. "Has Grandfather been telling you stories again?"

"Dwarves **here**," Collin asserted. "In town! Now!"

Elenna could feel something rise up inside of her, but she didn't know what. All she could think was that if this was true, for once her real life was more interesting than the book she had waiting in her room.

"Absolutely not," Rose said, rolling her eyes. "He's just trying to play a game with us."

Her grandpa then entered through the door Collin left open, and she wondered how much he'd heard. Certainly it had to be a silly rumor spread among boys. But if it wasn't? If they were coming back, then it was for a reason, and that reason could be the one that she'd been dreaming of.

Maybe grandfather's stories were more than stories after all.

A silence hung in the room as they all turned to her grandfather. Her father was not home yet, and the only other person who'd been out was him. Collin looked excited and anxious, and Elenna's stomach could not stop twisting like a rope.

"He's telling the truth," her grandfather finally said, his eyes twinkling. "The dwarves are here. And if I may say, it's about time."


	2. Chapter 2

**"Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure."**

-J.K. Rowling

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Sorry for the wait! I have a strange work schedule, and can usually write more on Sunday/Monday. Hope you like it! Thanks SO MUCH for the encouragement! Love to you all.

* * *

Elenna's house was buzzing with chatter when she heard three short knocks at the door. Collin continued in his loud exclamations, her grandfather laughing at his excitement. Seeing the knock make no impact on her family, she slowly moved to the edge of the room and slipped out the door, taking Finn by surprise.

"Walk to the marketplace?" she asked.

"No hello? No invite in? No offers of tea?" he asked dramatically, clutching his shirt to his chest. "If I wasn't your best friend, I'd be offended."

"Lucky me then," she grinned.

"I suppose your haste means you've heard," he said, his green eyes twinkling like stars.

"Yes," she said. "And speaking of luck, lucky for me my best friend is the Master's son."

"I knew that was the only reason you're in this friendship. Forget my stunning looks and amiable personality, it's all about the political connections with you—"

"Have you seen them?" she asked impatiently, for once not playing along with Finn's humor. "Did your dad let them stay?"

"I could get us near the great hall," Finn said, pausing a moment. "Or if you're not feeling adventurous we can ask Row the story."

"You're joking." Elenna could hardly believe Finn would rather ask someone details over seeing them himself.

"He's the guard. Surely he has some information."

"He's hardly the most credible person to ask," Elenna pointed out, starting to walk briskly toward the center of their town. Row, nick-named for the swiftness of his oars, could outdo even Finn in tales. "He once told us he got into a brawl with a group of wood-elves."

"Well they did argue about the river toll," Finn laughed. "But I don't think even Row could exaggerate about this one. It's hard enough to believe as it is."

"How did everyone find out so fast?" she wondered, hearing a song rise up in the air as they weaved through the houses.

"Small town," Finn pointed out, grabbing her hand. "Run for old times sake?"

Elenna laughed as they began to jog toward their destination.

"When did everyone get so...excitable?" Elenna asked as people blurred past her, their songs mingling with bits of high pitched conversation.

"It's the first time I've seen Old Lady Wick smile, that's for sure," Finn said with a wink as they jogged past one of the oldest ladies in Lake-town. She muttered something as Elenna's braid almost hit her in the quite-wrinkled face.

"And?" Elenna asked with a bright smile.

"You were right. No teeth." Finn shuddered, before pushing her forward.

She tried to move with grace and not tumble off a platform or down a ladder into the water. She had lived here her whole life but was still not as agile as she wanted to be. They slowed down as the hall came into view, and the crowd grew dense.

"Are you nervous?" Elenna asked. Finn was her oldest friend and she felt she could voice her hopes to him. "This town used to be wealthy and great. Can you imagine if the old dwarf city rises to power again? It could help us too."

A thrill of excitement rose in her chest. She had been surrounded by the same people doing the same thing for most of her life, and she was about to meet people who had been to places she hadn't even heard the names of before.

"Rivers running with gold!" Finn said, crouching over to imitate the old men who foresaw the dwarves coming.

Elenna rolled her eyes. Finn covered up his hopes with jokes, but she knew he was excited. They were at the great hall steps now. The lights spilled over and dappled against the water nearby. Sometimes on still nights she would sit there with her friends or her sister and listen to them lap against the supports.

"C'mon, let's go inside," Finn said, pushing her forward. "See what our heroes really look like."

Elenna took a breath. People had the same ideas as them, crowding to look in the two great doors. The only difference was that Finn's father was the Master, and they could walk in without too much trouble.

They slid in past two men at the front doors—guards who were usually on the bridge but now stayed to keep an eye on things. Neither of them were tall or lanky, so Elenna knew that Row was left behind and probably not happy about it.

She took a deep breath as they walked through the tables. The dwarves were in the highest seats. Although everyone had their own drinks and food, their eyes were on them.

They were dirty from journey, but much different than she imagined. The one who appeared oldest had some gray hairs running through his head, but seemed confident if not a little harsh. The other two were smiling and laughing, hailing the men behind them to fill their mugs. She caught glimpse of a smaller man too, but he didn't look much like a dwarf, especially with his beardless face and curly hair.

"Thoughts?" Finn asked, his mouth caught in a half smile, partially exposing the tops of his teeth.

"Younger than I pictured," Elenna said thoughtfully. "And more..."

"Drunk?" Finn asked, laughing at the dark haired one who was swaying to the songs being sung about him.

"Finn!"

Finn's eyes turned his father who was walking toward them, a wary look on his face.

"Yes father?"

"The dwarves are our guests now. The people seem pleased, don't they?"

"I would say so," Finn said, hearing songs echoing from the half open front door.

"They will be assigned rowers and other people to take care of them," he said, looking around the room. "I'd like you to be one of them. Maybe it will keep you out of trouble this week."

"I don't get into trouble—"

"So you'll do it."

Finn paused, his sour look morphing to a smirk.

"Only if Elenna can help."

Elenna froze in her observations, looking back to Finn. It was no secret that he didn't get along with his father, and for that she had always been awkward and slightly afraid of the Master. His thin lips froze into a pursed line, his eyes flitting toward her. They were blue, but more like ice than the color of water.

"Alright. Maybe she can keep you in line."

Without another word, he turned away, already finding another matter to attend to. Elenna waited until he was out of earshot before turning to her friend.

"Finn!" Elenna slapped his elbow. "What did you do that for?"

"You're always reading about adventures Elenna," he said, frowning and rubbing his arm. "Time to actually be in one."

"Fetching water is not an adventure," she grumbled, already feeling nervous. She wasn't very good at speaking with strangers, especially dwarves. Well, not especially, since she had never met one before...but she could only imagine.

"Elenna, everyone outside is singing of dwarves, but probably won't talk to any of them. And guess who will be? _You_."

Elenna kept frowning, but her stomach did turn in something that perhaps wasn't all anxiety. Finn had always pushed her, had been present at every moment she would consider fun...maybe it was time to trust him.

"Let's go introduce ourselves," she said, mostly to surprise him, straightening her shoulders.

He smiled widely, his hair falling in his eyes as he bowed and gestured her forward.

"After you, my lady."

Elenna moved forward, wishing she wasn't wearing one of her plainest dresses. She silently eyed the hem, hoping it wasn't dirty from hauling in firewood or hoisting up water for her mother's bath. She conceded that it was the best she could do to smooth it out and hope the dim lighting was enough to cover it up.

When they finally got to the high table, Elenna wasn't really sure what to do, or how to address them. The three seated were busy talking to the people next to them, and one was missing entirely. She started to turn away when Finn's voice rang clear.

"Excuse the interruption, but I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Finn Barrows, and I'm here to help you during your stay. So if you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know."

Elenna frowned, knowing he didn't introduce her on purpose. It was his life mission to make her speak up, but he didn't realize it was hard to do when your best friend spoke so boisterously and so often.

"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King Under the Mountain," the gruffest looking one announced before turning to the men next to him. "This is my nephew Fili and our companion Bilbo Baggins."

"And who are you?" the younger dwarf asked with a hint of a smile, looking at her.

"Elenna Waverton," she said, doing something between a bow and curtsey and almost blushing with her lack of grace. "I'll also be helping Finn."

"Excellent," he said, hoisting his mug into the air. "A toast to our new friends!"

Elenna thought no one would answer until a voice rang from behind her.

"A toast!"

The missing dwarf stood behind her now, raising his mug. He took a hearty sip before turning to her. Due to her unusually short stature, they stood practically eye to eye.

"Hello miss," he said, bowing. "Kili at your service."

"Elenna...at...yours too?"

"Elenna, how would you like to hear a story?"

His eyes were bright, and the ease in which he invited her to speak with them made her stomach fill with warmth.

"I'd like that," she said, smiling.

"Let's get some mugs of our own and we'll join you!" Finn said, clapping her back gently.

She felt the familiar protests rise in her chest, that it was too late or her family would worry, but then she remembered Finn's words. No adventure would come to her unless she let go of her complaints, at least sometimes. And if tonight wasn't a good night to celebrate, she didn't know what was.

"After you."


	3. Chapter 3

**A sense of humor is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.**

-Hugh Sidey

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I hope the reaction to this one is better than the last. :(

* * *

Everyone in Elenna's home got an early start, but she was still surprised when she was one of the last ones left in the house. She blamed herself for sleeping late after the feast the night before, but consoled herself that the dwarves would probably be sleeping in too.

She was just about to leave her room when she heard the door squeak and saw her sister's curly head poke in the door.

"Good morning," Elenna greeted Rose.

"Good morning. I made breakfast."

"Great. I'll take it for my walk."

"You're really going then? What will they possibly need from you?"

Elenna frowned. Rose was never eloquent in masking her bluntness, and the word 'possibly' hit her like a well aimed hit.

"I was appointed by the Master to help them with anything they need," Elenna said, puffing up her chest to make her sister swallow her disdain, and very acutely omitting Finn's hand in the affair. "It's more than relaxing, it's recovery, getting provisions...maybe a route to their next destination."

"Which is?" Rose asked, her eyes growing wide—a small sign of her excitement. You had to know her well to tell the difference between her attitudes covering up real emotion.

"I don't know yet," Elenna said, strapping a pack on her shoulders. She didn't know if she had to be carrying anything today, and she wanted to be prepared. "I'll fill everyone in at dinner."

"Be careful," Rose said, twirling the ring on her finger. "You don't know these men. They're strangers."

"I'll be with Finn, and there's so many of them...they won't be looking at me," she insisted, thinking of the dinner the night before. More dwarves had shown up—a lot more—and caused an even bigger stir than the first three. Her head spun just thinking about learning their names.

"Alright," Rose said, her hands on her hips, not having another argument. "Go on then."

Elenna smiled as she left the room they shared, walking through the small, empty house. She took a piece of bread from the table, feeling guilty for not sitting and eating with Rose. She had actually stayed behind to talk to her, which is something she hadn't done in years. Her worry was touching, if not a little misplaced.

She shut the door behind her, feeling a gust hit her in the face, twirling her skirt like it was dancing with her. Autumn was fast approaching but she didn't let the wind bother her as she started toward the center of town.

Everything seemed the same, but different to her, like someone had poured color into things. She could never explain it, but she always felt they lived in the shadow of the mountain, and their unexpected visitors had lessened it at least a little. The usual hustle and bustle of the town was replaced with gossiping ladies and running children pretending to be off on an epic adventure.

Finn met her halfway to the great hall, his hair askew and his eyes sleepy. He was not a morning person. He tended to thrive in the mystery of the starlight where he could get into trouble under the cover of darkness.

"We are to call the barber for haircuts, and get their clothes from the seamstress," Finn said glumly. "I thought our tasks would be a little more interesting."

"Collin and Rose want to hear every detail later," she replied, hiking her bag up on her back. "So let's do everything the best we can."

"Or lie about it!" Finn exclaimed, linking arms with her.

They had just started to walk when a skinny figure came their way, his pockets jangling and his face turned into a frown.

"It's not fair!"

"Hello Row, lovely to see you too," Elenna laughed.

"I guard the bridge and let all of the dwarves into our humble town, and you two get to hang around them all day?"

"Who would guard the bridge if you weren't around?" Finn asked, letting go of Elenna's arm to clap him on the back. "You never know—maybe a troll will show up today! Right, Elenna?"

"Or goblins," she said seriously, nodding her head.

"Exactly." Finn looked back at Row, whose frown had gotten heavier if that was possible.

"I hate you two sometimes."

He stalked away while they chuckled, meeting the place they'd have to separate.

"I'll take the barber," Finn said, thrusting his thumb in the direction of Balt, the resident haircutter.

"I'll look for Serene," she said, looking in the opposite direction. "I'd rather you keep your head today, anyway."

"She's too old for me! It would have never worked out!" Finn called, waving backwards as we walked away from her.

Elenna rolled her eyes. Finn didn't often pay attention to girls, being so few of them here, but when he did he was almost never serious about them. She remembered Serene's public and emotional last fight with Finn with a shudder. She had nearly pulled a sword on him. As it was, she nearly stabbed his eye with a sewing needle.

She watched him get smaller before turning her own way.

* * *

A few hours later, and with hands sore from sewing to help Serene, Elenna entered the house that held the dwarves.

They were in various states. Some were eating, some drinking, some both, and almost all were talking at some level or another. Bilbo was near her, blowing into a handkerchief. She noted to talk to him later and see if he needed any medicine.

She took a deep breath, looking back to the bigger group and mustering up her loudest voice.

"Hello!"

Nobody heard her, so she tried again.

"Hello!"

This time a dwarf close to her caught her eye, and signaled to his friends.

"The lady wants to speak!"

Slowly, the dwarves quieted, still chattering slightly, but enough for her to be heard.

"The seamstress had these made up for you," Elenna said, lifting her load onto an empty table. There were shirts of different sizes, mostly in dark greens and grays. "There's only half here right now, she's working on the rest as we speak."

"Bombur's shirt is going to have to be let out before we leave if he keeps it up!" Kili called from the back.

Elenna watched a dwarf on the fatter side grumble at him and grab his shirt with a huff. She smiled as she noticed crumbs in his beard.

Kili had told her a frightening story of getting lost in the forest last night, but had still managed to interlace it with humor. He, Fili, and Thorin were the only ones whose names she'd remembered besides Bilbo, because she and Finn had sat with them for the long story last night. Once the others showed up, it was a blur of reunions, and she'd retreated to her house.

"Thank you, Miss Waverton," Thorin said, nodding at her as he took a shirt from the pile.

She sobered up when she saw him, nodding back with a small smile. He was definitely a man who would be good with power, a mix of stern and respectable, and a little bit frightening.

"Any chance for more food?" someone called out from behind Thorin.

Elenna laughed at the hearty sounds of agreement. They would eat the town out of their stores before they left, but she didn't want to disappoint them.

"I'll see what I can do."

Just as she was about to turn around, she caught Bilbo's eye.

"Be careful," he warned, tucking his handkerchief back in his pocket. "Once you feed them, they tend to overstay their welcome."

* * *

Kili had just finished a rather dramatic story to Bofur in which he saved himself from starving by scouring the land, dodging a bear, and catching a fish with no help of nets when Fili broke in.

"You have never caught a fish with a rod, let alone your bare hands," Fili insisted, teasing him.

"I most certainly have!" Kili insisted.

"Yes, and trolls can fly," Fili said, sparking the laughter of the dwarves closest to him.

"Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean I haven't done it."

"That's exactly what it means!" Fili said, pointing a finger at him. "When were you ever lost without me being there?"

Kili glared at him, but had already accepted this as a challenge and couldn't help but smile with excitement.

"Do you doubt that I can do it again?"

"Fish are a little slippery, brother," Fili said with a grin. "Especially when you've had a few gallons of ale with lunch."

"I don't feel a thing!" Kili rose from his seat. "And you'll feel _something_ when I come back with that fish."

* * *

Elenna was walking back to the great hall when she saw a movement near the water. At first she thought it was a child from town but then she noticed the figure had dark hair and a dark beard. She put down the basket she was carrying and walked closer.

Elenna watched him lower himself into the water, clutching to the ladder for barely a moment before tossing his body in. She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion—what was he doing? She didn't know the ways of dwarves, but they didn't strike her as swimmers.

She waited a moment. It was growing dark, and few people were around, so he wasn't garnering suspicion from anybody but her.

Dwarves must have been able to hold their breath a long time. She watched the surface for a sign of his return. It had rippled when he entered, but he must have gone deep for now she saw nothing but pinpricks of the fading, red sun in the water.

And then she saw bubbles.

She moved closer to the edge, near the ladder herself, her heart beginning to beat wildly. The bubbles were growing fainter, and he wasn't appearing at the top. She put one foot on the ladder and peered in, seeing dark masses but it being too cloudy to know for sure. The water was definitely growing colder, along with the air. She didn't fancy putting a foot in, let alone her whole body, but her nerves were intensifying and her hands were shaking, and she couldn't just do nothing...

It had been far too long. Imagine that—she was supposed to care for the dwarves and she watched one drown on her watch!

Without much thinking of what would happen if he was simply swimming, and without foresight to even call for help, she jumped into the water.

Her suspicions were right. The cold felt like being jostled awake by a thunderstorm that wrapped around her whole body. She took a frenzied deep breath, ignoring her trembling limbs and went under.

She was pretty good at opening her eyes underwater, a skill she'd honed when she was small. Even with murky water, she could sense shapes, and this time she saw a dark mass almost directly underneath her.

She swam downward, silently noting she'd forgotten to take off her shoes, and then feeling guilty for noticing. She would have been taking big, gaping breaths if she was this panicked up above, but she wasn't afforded the opportunity under here.

It was Kili. His hair floated behind him like a breeze had sent it flying, but his eyes were wide open with panic. He was struggling against the ladder and she saw that his belt was stuck on the rungs. The water level changed often, so the ladders often went deep to compensate for the changes, which is why he couldn't reach the surface even though he was on the ladder.

Her chest was already aching, but that sent it even more into anguish. She had to push aside her anxiety to help him, or they would both be doomed.

Losing air, she reached him in a moment, but instead of tugging at where the belt had caught she went right for the buckle.

She moved quickly, her hands not as strong in water. She fumbled, her fingers slipping and shaking. She quickly flexed them and pressed her lips together, willing herself to be stronger. Kili caught on to what she was doing and wrapped his hands around hers, helping her un-do the clip. When the belt fell loose, Kili went swimming upwards without hesitation, and she followed close behind, the strain in her chest feeling like an egg about to hatch.

They broke on the surface sputtering. She felt like she had been holding her breath for hours, so she could only imagine what Kili was feeling. He didn't speak to her yet, but did grab her arm and make sure she went up the ladder first.

When they were back on more solid ground, he bent over on his knees and spat out water. Elenna looked away, pushing her matted hair from her face. Her dress was now an extra weight on her, but it was nothing compared to the rawness she felt in her throat.

Kili continued to wretch until he finally started emitting air instead of lake. He had loud, gaping breaths and sat with his hands on his knees. Elenna guessed it must be dinner time, for she could only hear people in the distance. She didn't know what to do except wait for him to breathe easier. She peered at her feet in the meantime and noticed glumly she had lost a shoe.

"Are you alright?" she finally asked, seeing Kili's chest start to rise and fall at a more normal pace. She noticed how tightly his shirt clung to his body with the weight of the water and immediately blushed even though he could not hear her thoughts.

"I was trying to...It's just..."

He heaved a heavy sigh and pushed his wet hair from his face. His eyes shone among the sparkling droplets that ran from his forehead down to his beard. He was rather handsome, which was something she never quite expected when she heard tales of dwarves.

She stayed crimson and again hoped he was not a mind-reading type of creature.

"I'm sorry," he said, his rasping a little better. "It's just...this seems a little backward to me."

"Why's that?" she asked, tucking her own hair behind her ears, and wiping excess water from her brows.

"Warriors are supposed to save maidens," he croaked. "Isn't that the tradition?"

Elenna's surprise made her forget to be shy. Here she was, dripping from head to toe, throat sore, missing a shoe, and he was not thankful?

"You're right. Next time I will leave you to drown."

She noticed with satisfaction that his eyes raised in surprise. Despite everything that happened, he never looked menacing...always..._entertained, _somehow.

"I did not mean to be rude. Just...well Fili will have a laugh at this. And everyone else for that matter."

"Well maybe this is a little odd," Elenna said, crossing her arms. "But I saved your life, you know. So you should be happy that _I'm_ a little odd too."

"You certainly are," Kili said, smiling outrightly now. "But not in a bad way. I'm sorry if it came out wrong." He tried to shake his hair and beard free of water droplets. "Fili and I are are the youngest. We're used to being in the front of things, proving ourselves...not to being rescued so much."

"I think the words you're searching for are thank you, Master Dwarf." She felt like she was bickering with Finn, and resolved that they would be a match for each other. Just thinking that, however, made her anger fade substantially. She had a soft spot for boys built for mischief and humor, it seemed.

"Call me Kili please."

At his soft voice, she knew the anger was gone.

"And me Elenna."

He got up now, his pants squishing with excess water which made him grin and move erratically for a moment to hear it again and make her smile. He outstretched a large, worn hand to her.

"Are you too proud and brave for me to help you up?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Not quite," she said, accepting his hand. "And if it makes you feel better, you can just tell your friends you went for a nice swim with all your clothes on."

"You're right," he said flatly, "That won't make them laugh at me at all."

"Best get inside," she said, shivering as a breeze tickled her wet skin. She picked up her discarded basket, seeing the contents thankfully all there.

"Yes, yes," Kili replied, seeing her chatter as she hiked the basket up her arm. "But there's just one more favor I have to ask of you."

"Don't tell anyone about this?" she asked with a smile.

"Okay, two," he said with a smile. His gaze flickered toward her basket. "That one, and...do you mind if I borrow a fish?"


End file.
